by Maeve Binchy, 1994
757 pages – Helen McMahon disappears from Lough Glass leaving her husband and 2 kids. Kit, her daughter, finds a note to Martin & burns it – it was a suicide note, Kit thought – but it really wasn’t – it was an explanation to Martin from Helen of why she was leaving them.
by Anne Tyler, 1995
Delia Grinstead, married to Sam, a family doctor; three kids, walks away from them while on a beach vacation. Ends up living in a new town, Bay Borough, for a year and a half. Comes back for daughter’s wedding – ends up staying. Couldn’t put down (helped that we had snow days and Christmas holidays).
by Elizabeth Berg, 2005
What a quick read! Bette Nolan loses her husband, John, to cancer. Leaves Boston, drives to Midwest, picks a town, a house, starts a new life. Opens a store, ‘What A Woman Wants,’ renews friendship with 3 old college roommates. Doesn’t open store until the very end. Great book! Loved all of her lists of “things” – things to put in her store.
by M.M. Kaye, 1963
Zanzibar – historical – slave trade – cholera. Majid Sultan, Hero Hollis, Rory Frost. LOVED this book. A lot of it was true-the rebellion, cholera, Salme eloping. Really long book, though.
by Jan Karon, 1999
Cynthia and Father Kavanaugh go to island church on White Cap. Frenchwoman, Helene Pringle, rents the rectory in Mitford – steals the angel. Is an heir of the Baxter’s. Morris Love, organist with Turrette’s Syndrome and deformities – starts out as enemy, becomes friend, comes to Jesus.
by Alexander McCall Smith, 2000
Mma Ramotswe finds out what happened to an American young man 10 years ago. Mma Makutsi takes a case–doesn’t seem to turn out as wonderfully as Mma Ramotswe’s. Mr. J.L.B Matekoni adopts 2 children.
by Alexander McCall Smith, 1998
Gentle read about Mma. Ramotswe and her beloved Africa – Botswana. She opens a detective agency with the money from the cattle her father kept. She solves mysteries for clients and friends. Really, really interesting and smart! Sweet, sweet tales.
by M. M. Kaye, 1984
Wonderful mystery set on the Isle of Cyprus in the 1940’s. Loved the characters of Steve and Amanda. Love story intertwined in a mystery. Amanda is young, beautiful, and stays with Miss Moon in Kyrenia in the Villa Oleander. One person is murdered in the drawing room after another was murdered on the boat on the way over. Loved descriptions of the harbor and the Villa Oleander: “sunbaked dust.”
by Jodi Picoult, 2003
Interesting: One sister, Kate, has leukemia, and Anna is born to be her donor. Anna decides to go to a lawyer to sue for the rights to her own body when they want her kidney. Loved the lawyer, Campbell Alexander, and his dog, Judge, a seizure dog.
by John Grogan, 2005
*Life and love with the world’s worst dog
Loved this book! It’s a memoir describing John Grogan’s early adulthood, getting a yellow lab puppy, meeting his wife, raising this yellow lab who is the world’s worst dog, finding a home, having children, and all the while growing up with this dog.
by Wendell Berry, 2002
Wonderful writer (Wayne’s Uncle Bob’s favorite writer and became Wayne’s favorite writer). 1. Nathan Coulter; 2. Remembering (Andy Catlett loses his arm); 3. A World Lost (Uncle Andrew’s murder)
by Elizabeth Strout, 2006
Small New England town minister, wife dies of cancer, has 2 daughters; one troubled.
by LaVyrle Spencer, 1986
Long novel about 1917-1919 young girl named Linnea, goes to small wheat farming community to be the school teacher. Falls in love with Theodore – 35 years old.
by Kate DiCamillo, 2000
Awesome children’s book! Ten year-old girl, finds a dog, names it Winn-Dixie.
by Jodi Piccoult, 2005
Really good – Dad kidnaps daughter for her own good, gets caught 28 years later. Two loves – Eric and Fitz for Delia.
A “gentle read” as described by the Fort Collins Public Library, this is the 4th book of the Mitford series. Father Tim is married to Cynthia, a beautiful artist, and their lives are blessed by each other and the love they have for the town and people of Mitford. These books make me want to visit the southeast to see little mountain towns like Mitford. Warm and wonderful characters in a charming setting.
